Today's News: Our Take - Lifetime's Double Divas Size Us Up

Thursday

Jan 10, 2013 at 12:57 PM

TV Guide

Searching for the perfect fit for your must-see winter reality TV? Try sizing up Lifetime's Double Divas. The new series, premiering Thursday at 10/9c, opens the doors to the LiviRae lingerie shop where bra-fitting experts Molly Hopkins and Cynthia Richards welcome clients ranging from bridesmaids to boyfriends. Known as the "bra whisperer" and the "Thomas Edison" of custom lingerie, these Southern belles bring their intimate expertise - and over-the-top personalities - to women of all shapes and sizes. And even if you're not vying for a fitting, you can tune in for the ladies' tell-all talk. We did, and here's what they had to say.

TV Guide Magazine: Why should audiences watch a show about a bra boutique?Cynthia Richards: People have coined us the doctors of lingerie - writing prescriptions and filling bras with breasts! We are the best at what we do. We have a gift. It's knowledge, experience and compassion. We love what we do, which is helping women and educating them.Molly Hopkins: Lingerie has a stigma. It's kept under wraps and is so taboo. Everybody's got 'em - what's the big deal?

TV Guide Magazine: What makes women flock to your shop?Cynthia: When Oprah let everybody know that there was something bigger than "D" out there [on her show during a segment about bra fit], we became slammed with people. There were hour waits and people driving from other states to be fitted.Molly: We create an environment where we're real with people. We are who we are, and we take a very lighthearted approach. We come up with funny slogans that rhyme because comedy comforts people.Cynthia: We rhyme without even knowing it. A lot of the production team will ask, 'Why do you have to rhyme all the time?'Molly: If you think you're a "B," you're probably a "D." If you think you're a "D," you're probably a "G" so come to LiviRae to see!

TV Guide Magazine: Why do you have a passion for this line of work?Cynthia: We truly have a passion to help women. We want to do this for everybody - people that have had mastectomies or special cases. We're not just privy to people who could afford a $100 bra or who are an A-cup through D-cup. Anything above that [size] was missing the boat so we opened our own store.Molly: I've always fought for the underdog. We love old women, really heavy women, disabled clients, children - they are our forte because it seems like everyone else pushes those women under the rug. They don't want to deal with them. For us, they deserve respect.

TV Guide Magazine: You seem really dedicated to your clients, but will we see any crazy customers come into the shop?Molly: A lot of 'em! Every episode is going to leave you salivating. You'll think, 'Oh my god, is this really happening right now?' Yes, it truly is.Cynthia: We have types of clients on the show that I haven't even experienced before, and we did not expect. When you think of anything that can fall into the crazy category, we found them.

TV Guide Magazine: And how about men who accompany their ladies in the shop? Are those awkward moments captured on film?Cynthia: They finally have a full grasp and a full throttle on what our day-to-day entails. It's not your prim-and-proper lingerie shop. Most think you come into a lingerie store, Beethoven is playing on the radio and [women] come in to buy dainty, delicate things to satisfy their sex lives or make their husband happy. That's nowhere near remotely close to the things you're going to see.

TV Guide Magazine: So what's the secret to your success?Cynthia: We cater to everybody. It don't matter who you are!Molly: Who is Victoria and what is her secret?